NO ROBBERY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 133, 3 July 1909, Page 4

NO ROBBERY

IS SEXTON BLAhi.- OFINIOX 01 A FAIK EXCHANGE. I. "A most curious story," said Vansittart thoughtfully, peeling a peach, "Vou mean to say that your brother bus actually told you in so many words that he intends to ■steal the picture? Godfrey Featherstone tilled a glass of port and sipped it nervously. "That's exactly what he wrote. My fair means or foul, 1 mean to have the Vandyck.' Those were his very "Don't you think it's just a joke! persisted Vansittart. He was a uli, ■■ t.ristocrat-looking man, American -y 1 birth, but with hardly a trace of the 5 accent of his country. 1 "A joke? Vou wouldn't talk of jokes ! if you knew my brother Dudley!" returned Featherstone grimly. "What; ' ever his faults, Dudley never boasts'. It . he says he will do a thing, he does it, no matter how mad or foolish, mat was why my father kicked him out and left the place to me." "Hadn't you better have sold him tue picture 2 He appears to have offered you a. fair price," said Vansittart, raisins his eyes to the other's face. "What! lot our greatest treasure leave the country?" cried. Featherstone sharply. "Never! No money could tempt me to part with it, even if it were not an heirloom! The Vandyck has hung in the gallery at Fancourt for two centuries and a-half, and tin re it shall remain so long as Fancourt is the home of the Featherstoncs!" "Seems to me, Jlr. Featherstone, that you've got trouble ahead of you," smiled : the American. "You'll find it a bit awkward totSbe up against this brother ■ of yours'— *%ian with millions of money, i and apparently no scruples worth men- I tioning. And, now, to change the subject, when can I show you those snuffboxes?" "Haven't you got them with you? ' "No. They are at Duval's, being ~ cleaned and done up." j "That's a pity. I must go home tomorrow, morning." , "I'm extremely sorry,", said Vansit- ' tart. "They're worth looking at, I can < assure you." , Featherstone hesitated. "Look here, Mr. Vansittart," he Said, after a moment's pause. "Are you very ( busy?" , "Not just now. Why?" "Would it be too much to ask you ..o run down to Fancourt? It seems alI most impertinent to ask such a favor of a comparative stranger, but if you would dine and spend the night we could make you uncomfortable.' "I should like it, of all things," declared Vansittart. "That's very nice of you. Will Wednesday suit—the day after to-morrow?" "Excellently," replied Vansittart. And so it was arranged. Next day, when., Featherstone's motor spun up the smoothly-gravelled drive to the fine old Jacobean house which called him master, a keen-eyed young man in rough tweeds was standing in the porch. "All safe, Mr. Blake?" was Feath.TBtonc's first eager question, as be, jumped out and warmly shook the other's hand. Sexton Blake nodded. "Right as rain!" he replied cheerfully. Then, in a lower voice: "Remember, I'm not' Blake here, Air. Featherstone. Just now my name's Roper." Featherstone looked annoyed. "I'm awfully sorry! I won't forget again," he said quickly. "But I'm surprised that nothing's happened yet. Every day I've been expecting v to hear of a raid."

"I wish they'd hurry up," said Blake. "I can't stay here for ever, you know. I've other work to do. A week more is' my limit. I must go on Saturday. Fcatherstonc's face fell.

"I wish to goodness Dudley would start, if he's going to," he said irritably. "The only time I've managed to forget it was the last two nights. I met a man at the hotel called Vansittart, ni. American millionaire, but much more decent than the usual rich Yankee. He and I dined together twice, and he talked so well he took my mind off my troubles. Clever man, too. He's coming down to-morrow to show rue his .Vnuffboxes. I' hope he'll stay a few days." "It'll be a good thing to have someone to cheer you up," agreed Blake. 'You're worrying much too much. If you were wise, you'd take my advice and put the picture away in a safe deposit for a few months." Feathcrstone's face darkened.

"Nothing would induce mc to do anything of the kind!" he exclaimed violently. "It would be a confession of weakness. When we were youngsters Dudley nearly bullied the life out of me. He shan't have the satisfaction of thinking I'm afraid of him now!" 11. "It's one of the queerest businesses I was ever mixed up in," said Blake to himself, as he strolled alone through the Fancourt park on the following afternoon. "This Dudley Feathcrstone is the sort of ruffian who rather appeals to me. Kicked out, disgraced, and disinherited, he makes a fortune by one r oig gamble, and then calmly announces to his brother that lie is going to have the Vaudyck by fair means or foul. Hallo! Who's 1 this ?" he broke off, as a man in gaiters and corduroys came hurrying across the turf towards him. The newcomer was one of the keepers, full of a story of a rough-looking chap he'd seen sneaking about in Hedland Wood.

"Arter pheasants' eggs, sir, I'll lay a shilling! I be going to tell the master I" "Didn't you try to catch him?" asked Blake sharply." " 'Course I did, sir! But he ran like a hare!"

"Take me down and show me exactly where it was."

The keeper looked rather surprised at the sharp command. But his master's orders had been plain. Mr. Koper was to .be obeyed. He turned and led the way.

Blake's trained eye soon laid him on the track of the intruder, and he followed it as far as the road. Here, in the wind-blown dust, the trail was impossible to follow, and, somewhat out of humor, the detective returned to the house.

As lie climbed the ha-ha steps drove up, anil he arrived at the door in time to be introduced by his host to "my American friend Mr. Vansittaft." The latter had in his hand a small •but heavy hag. ' 'l've brought the snuffboxes," he said, with a smile. '.'After dinner we'll have a look at them," said Featherstoue. . "Meanwhile, let me show von your room." At dinner vans'ittart talked 'brilliantly. He was evidently a man who had been everywhere and seen most thine:.*, l'arls, Home, Vienna, New York —he knew them all equally well.

When dinner was over Foatherstnue suggested that they should have codec in the picture-gallery. "The Vamlyck is well lighted," lie said. "Yon can see it as well by night as by day."

"All right," replied the American. "I'll run up to my room, get the snuffboxes, and join you in a minute. The gallery at Fancourt was on the first lloor. It was a long and lofty room, lit by three great mullioned windows. Portraits of generations of Feathqrstones covered the walls, but the place of honor in the ccntro was held by the Vnndvck. This picture, which had all the stately dignity of Rubens' greatest pupil, represented the famous cavalier, Sir Anthony Feathers'tonp, mounte:!, and in lull armour. Sir Anthony, knighted on tiro field of battle by Charles 1., had been the founder of the Fcatlierstonc ■family and t])c bui|der of Fancoinir. For two and a-half centuries tho place and the picture had descended from father to son. and Wake could well understand the feelimrs of Dudley Foatherstone, disinherited in .favor of his younger brother, and barred for ever from the ownership of the old home iiud its glorious associations. "It* worth stealin«," ,ni,l Vansiltnrl at last, after gazing silently for quite three minutes ill the miislei'i/ieec of !$:- grcal Jacobean artist, "lint, all I li. same." lie added, ■with a laugh, "it's not the sort of job that any scll'-re-sr/ecting Rill Sikes would care to tnek'e. You seem {» have taken every possible precaution. Mr. Featherston:'."

"T'"i not riiniiiiiir air.' needless' risks.' smiled Featherstoue. "Look, at f'ese window*!" He pulled hue}: a curtain

shutter of latticed steel. -Then, I have electric alarm-wires around the picture and showed the'window covered with a itself, and all the lower doors and windows are protected jy the very latest in "bolts and safety-catches. No; the burglar who trice to steal tire Vuadyck will have his work cut out." "Now that I've seen your treasure, you shall see mine," said Vansittavt, opening hhi bag, and taking out a do?.™ exquisite old snuffboxes, which he laid on a table. He gave a full and particular history of each box, and his stories were so interesting that when the clock on the mantelpiece chimed twelve all three men were genuinely astonished. "You'll bo on the look-out to-night, Blake!" whispered Mr. Feathcrstone, as he said "Good-night." "You 'bet!" was the detective's brief '.mt comprehensive reply.

111. . Blake used to say that he slept like A watchdog—with one eye open. But on this particular night he uever went to bed at all. Changing his dressclothes for a suit of grey flannel and tennis-shoes, he sat down in a comfortable chair, and picked up his pet copy oi ''The Seven Seas."

One struck, then two. Blake began m grow a little restless, ••iVuii'-er if I'm mistaken?" he mutAuother quarter of an hour had passed. Then a slight rustling sound in tli-.' passage urougnt him to his feet. His keen eye..' gleamed with the light of battle, and, opening the door, which swung silently on well-oiled hinges, ho glided out into tlic corridor. He was just in time to see a figure, faintly outlined against the window at I the far end, turn noiselessly down the cross-passage which, led to the galle'TBlake, was after it like a shot. Years of training had taught him to move with a silent speed which only a cat could equal. , ~ . The picture-gallery door was at the far end'of the cross-passage. As lie turned the corner, Blnke saw the tiniest gleam of light flirker, on the dark oak panelling. He paused.' Next minute there was a slight click. The light vanished. "Knows his job!" chuckled Blake noiselessly. Then, instead of following the intruder, he turned straight back, and made for the door 1 of Vansittart's room. . ■ ,

It was closed. He tried the handle, It turned easily. Blake entered, closed the door again, and flashed an electric pocket-lamp, The room was empty, but the window was open, and on the silllny a coil of thin but immensely strong silk rope. Near the rope was the tag. ( Blake opened it. The snuffboxes were inside, each wrapped separately in tissue-paper. "They're genuine, anyhow 1" said Blake, with a twinkle in his eye. And, emptying all the boxes out of the bag,he stuffed them into his pockets. Then he rapidly filled the bag with lumps of coal from the scuttle, closed it again, and, leaving rope and bag exactly where he had found them, hurried back to his own room.

He put out the candle by which he lad -been reading, and, leaving the door gar, sat down'and listened quietly.

fn about five minutes there came again the cautious tread which he had heard before. But Blake did not move. The steps passed into Vansittart's room, but the detective still sat where he was. The door was closed, but all Blalce did was to get up aud begin undressing. Iu less than five minutes he. was in bed, and two minutes later sleeping more soundly -than for many nights past.

"Hallo! What's up?" growled Blake. Someone was shaking him savagely by the shoulder.. "What's up?" repeated Featherstonc furiously. "You lie here, snoring like a hog, when the picture you're paid to take care of is stolen!" "Are you sure?" asked Blake c6olly, as he slipped out of bed and donned dressing-gown and slippers. "Sure? Haven't I seen it with my own eyes?" shrieked Featbcreton Irishly. "It's been cut out of its frame in the night 1" "Let's go aud have a look}," said Blake, who seemed quite undisturbed by the other's emotion.

Featherstone led the way at a run. Sure enough, on reaching the gallery the grey -morning light fell upon an empty frame. Tlio canvas had been cut clean out with a sharp'knife. Blake regarded it coolly. . "Any idea who did it?" he asked quietly. Featherstone swung round on him savagely. , . "Are you mad?" he cried. "That's what I've been paying you to And out! Dash me if I ever trust a detective again!"

He would have said more, but Blake had left him and gone to the far end of the gallery, where a great oak chest stood against the wall.' Producing a key, die unlocked this, and took! therefrom a roll of canvas tied with a string. Opening it, he held up before the eyes of the amazed Featherstone the Vandyck portrait. ■'.

"W-w-what's it mean?" gasped the man.

"That's your picture all right,- isn't ;!" asked Blake. Feathcrstone examined it.

'•Yes," he said.. "I—l apologise, Blake! But, hang me if I can make head or tail of it!"

"It's simple enough," replied 'Blake, with a twinkle of amusement in his keen eyes. "While you were away I took the liberty of asking a young artist friend down. He painted a copy of the Vandyck—a copy which you yourself last night could not tell from the original. That's what your brother's burglar stole."

"But who stole it? How did he get inr >

"You let him in yourself. It was your American friend, Van6ittart." Featherstone's jaw dropped. "Impossible!" he gasped. "Go to his room, then, and ,800. My' dear sir, I spotted him the minute I set eyes on him as Lex Manley, the cleverest curio thief in two continents, ne knows as much," about Art as any living connoisseur. He collects himself." "Then that explains the snuffboxes," said Featherstone, crestfallen'. "Which reminds me," replied Blake. "1 paid young Winwood fifty pounds fo r the copy; but I think these will cover the bill."

He pulled out the snuffboxes and piled them on the table.

."Fair exchange is no robbery!" he snid, with a laugh. "On the whole, I think we've come out a bit to the good."-—Answers. «